For The Lonely Hearts
by witbeyondmeasurexo
Summary: Clare is left broken-hearted and empty when KC broke up with her for Jenna. Distraught, she vows to swear off boys, and with the help of Alli, begins to move on. But what happens when several new kids transfer to Degrassi and one of them shows interest?
1. Prologue

** Hi, this is my very first story and I just thought I'd like to share it with you. Please no flames! Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Hope you enjoy! **

**For The Lonely Hearts**

Prologue: The End of Us/When Hell Froze Over

"Clare?" KC stood awkwardly in the doorway. I stumbled out, eager to see my boyfriend after a day of exhausting, laborious homework. I reached for a hug, only to step back when it went unreciprocated. KC just stared at me, puzzled by my brief moment of affection. _What was up with him? Wasn't this what couples do?_

"Yes? What is it?" He silently sat down on the porch. Confused, I mimicked his movements and sat down next to him. If only I could have seen what was coming next. Maybe then, I wouldn't have been so quick to assume we still loved each other. Or rather, that KC loved _me._

"Um…I-I think we should…break up," KC mumbled and looked away. I could hear my heart pounding louder and louder with each syllable he pronounced. _No…this can't be happening…_

"_What?_ Why?" My brain no longer had the ability to function, and my feelings could no longer control themselves. My eyes started to tear up. My lips were trembling. I forced myself to stare KC in the eyes and was met with a surprisingly similar reaction to my own. I eyed him uneasily as he stared back just as uncertain. He looked unsure of himself and equally as confused as I was. Somewhere deep inside of me thought that maybe this would turn out alright; after all, if the boy couldn't get his thoughts together, then maybe this was just a mistake on his part? Maybe he meant something else? But the rational side of me knew better. It knew just what KC was facing, and why it would come to this: Jenna. That scheming, phony Barbie that locked eyes on my boyfriend since day one and captured her prey in a tight grasp.

"What happened at the car wash yesterday…it was completely uncalled for. You didn't have to humiliate Jenna just because you were jealous!" An angry glint appeared in his eyes as he recalled the offending events that happened before. As the anger surfaced to his face, I could feel pure rage boiling up in mine. My emotional wall called for a defense mechanism. So I used whatever excuse I felt worked and put it to the test.

"It's not my fault some skank was flirting with my boyfriend! What did you expect me to do? Stand by and watch?" It was obvious my response got under his skin, but it was only necessary before he could get under mine. He glared at me, all remains of his past uncertainty gone.

"Don't call Jenna that! She's a nice girl, Clare. Why wouldn't you just give her a chance?" My heart ached as I remembered how Jenna carelessly let out that her reputation at her old school was anything but innocent. I, thinking we were friends, foolishly decided to ignore her. If only I had listened to Alli, my true friend, and kept KC away from her. But now I see that it was futile either way. Jenna had KC wrapped around her little finger, and manipulated him to think he wanted Jenna and not me.

"I did give her a chance! I befriended her on the first day of school. Alli knew something was up, and I should have listened to her. You know when we were at my house that Jenna said she was a boyfriend stealer? Can't you see what she's doing here?" KC sighed and shook his head, like I was some pitiful excuse for a human being.

"You've got it all wrong, Clare. You know what, I'm sick of dealing with your bullshit. We only make each other mad." He didn't even look at me to say it. Coward.

"So…we're breaking up?" I couldn't stop the tears flowing from my eyes, to my disgust. I realized he did a lot more than hurt my feelings. He saw through my calm façade and ripped it to shreds and he captured my heart, only to smother it a minute later. In other words, my first ever relationship flew out the door, flushed down the drain, whatever expression people use to describe their relationship gone kaput. KC's hesitance returned and the guilt was evident on his face.

"Yeah, I guess we are." My heart was shattered in those five, short words. I couldn't handle it…sitting with KC just seemed to break my heart all over again. I headed for the door but stopped, struggling to keep it together. I had one last question that was burning in my mind.

"How long have you liked her?" I refused to look back and face those warm, beautiful eyes I fell for again. I knew right now they'd be facing the floor in shame. _He should be ashamed. It serves him right._

"I tried not to, Clare." His voice wavered with pent up sadness. It was then I found out the depths of his feelings for Jenna. It started ever since she came to Degrassi. At first it was merely a curiosity, which then morphed into full on lust. He was so charmed by her enchanting looks and overly cheerful personality it was sickening to watch. It was then that I knew KC was, in fact, just like any other boy.

I took time to gather my composure, then entered the living room and slammed the door with all my might, hoping to dear God my boy—scratch that, my _ex-_boyfriend would take that as a signal to leave. And leave he did, carrying the remnants of my hollow heart with him. I dared to look out the window and told myself: _You must never love again. _


	2. Chapter 1: The Aftermath

**This is where the story officially starts. I'm obviously a very big Clare fan, and I hope she gets together/befriends (with) Eli, the new kid from the Boiling Point promos. Might I just say he is HOT! Sorry KC, but I'm so over you, especially after how you treated her in the last episode. Does anyone agree with me that Eli/Clare will be AWESOME? Tell me what you think of them/your predictions for Season 10! **

Chapter 1: The Aftermath

"OH MY GOD, you cannot be serious! That…_dog _really broke up with you?" Alli's high voice rang out. I heard a dramatic 'pop' that I guessed was the sound of my eardrums shattering. I winced and distanced myself from the phone.

"You were always a big squealer." I chuckled dryly. All humor seemed to escape me. My feelings were down for the count. "Well, I have a damn good reason to! How could he do that? You see, I knew right from the start that hick wasn't any good!"

"I know. I should have listened to you."

"Oh well, it's not your fault, I guess. You only wanted to make new friends."

"Which is why I shouldn't try to. I'm hopeless." I could almost _hear_ Alli rolling her eyes on the other end of the phone.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. Not every person is like him. Just give people a chance." I stiffened. Those were the exact words KC used about Jenna. Alli must have known my stony silence confirmed my hurt and immediately apologized, babbling on about how I could really use some ice cream right now. It was almost ironic how Alli seemed to care about the breakup much more than I did. But that was okay, right? If I went to school armed with a heart protected by glass, I'd definitely make it through the day. KC or Jenna couldn't hurt me—their measly efforts wouldn't even touch me.

"You know what, Alli? Tomorrow's the last day of school. Let's just go to the mall. I don't want KC to see the same old Clare again."

"True that! Let me see what I can do. He won't know what hit him when you come back hotter than ever!"

"Are you sure I won't look like a whore?" I stared at the girl in the mirror, her striking unfamiliarity hitting me with its best shot. "I don't even recognize myself." Alli smirked proudly at her new creation.

"That's because your glasses and your hair hid your gorgeous face." I tilted my head to the right, watching the girl in the mirror reflect my every move. My hair was now cut just above my shoulders, and was tousled until every strand framed my face pleasantly. My glasses were gone, and in place were some contacts. At first, I absolutely hated them, but now I realized how effective and convenient they were compared to my dingy old spectacles. My face, initially a little chubby, now appeared much slimmer and my features, somewhat more appealing. I never thought myself as ugly before, but comparing my old self to my new look definitely gave off that impression. _No wonder KC dumped me. _A self-deprecating thought floated to the top of my mind, taking a tiny stab at my newfound confidence. I shrugged it off, convincing myself that he didn't deserve my self-consciousness.

"But you always looked great, I mean, KC liked you before your makeover. And honestly, you're way prettier than Jenna. Hello, have you _seen_ how much eye shadow she uses? And that god-awful tank she wore which her boobs practically _fell _out of?" Alli stopped twirling around and walked over to me, giving me one of her famous bear hugs. I hung onto her for dear life before I could trip over my new wedges. She was a lot stronger than she looked. I mean, the girl even managed to push KC with one elbow (and let me tell you, KC is _tall. _He makes me feel like a woodland creature)! I smiled at her, truly grateful for everything she had done. She really was a great friend, someone who I foolishly mistook Jenna to be.

**KC's POV**

** "What's going on, lover boy?" Jenna's chirpy voice disturbed me from my idleness. My mouth tightened; couldn't she see I wanted to be alone? I didn't sit by myself in the library for nothing! Her lips immediately collided with mine, and I couldn't help but pull away. After everything I went through, I just didn't seem to be in the mood for making out. Especially not after I broke up with my girlfriend. My oh-so-jealous girlfriend who probably had every right to feel angry. My girlfriend who I could have been laughing with while watching "Friends" together. My girlfriend who I shared my first kiss with. And enjoyed every damn moment of it. Both fortunately and unfortunately, Jenna noticed my reluctance and crossed her arms, using an unnecessarily bitchy pose.**

"Wait, why are you in the library? You never hang out here!" Oh shit. She made me remember. _It was where Clare and I last saw each other. _I wanted to tell her but I just couldn't. It'd be so easy to blame her for everything; that seemed like a good way to stay mad at her. I hoped Jenna wouldn't bring her up but she somehow managed to incorporate Clare into every conversation we had, whether it be about her new makeup collection or my basketball achievements. She never once mentioned what happened with Coach. But then again, maybe she just didn't want to remember. I shuddered in disgust recalling when Coach snuck in during our make out. We were getting heated and clothes were itching to get off until _he _just ruined the moment. And I still hate myself for trusting him. I thought I found a father figure in him; someone who understood me; cared for me. Someone who could replace my real dad who was now stuck in prison because of his stupid drug addiction.

"I-I was…just planning to s-study for the math test." Jenna rolled her eyes at my stuttering and plopped down on the chair next to me.

"I thought I told you not to worry about that. You have Clare, right? She obviously still likes you." I bit my lip. What could she possibly be suggesting? I didn't like what she was implying.

"You know what, you're right. I shouldn't be so hung up on this test. I'm in Gifted. I don't need to worry." It was funny how my words echoed in my head, like I was lying to myself. Shit, who was I kidding? I was freaking scared. After all, if I wanted to stay on the basketball team, I had to keep my grades up. But would I really stoop so low as to cheat off my ex simply for my own benefit? I couldn't deal with this; I still needed to figure things out. And I most certainly couldn't do that if my new girlfriend was planning to make me cheat to stay on the team. _Also, her skirt's not helping anything right now. I can see all the way up to her—_

"Now, now KC. You won't be getting any of this until you know what to do. " She winked at me seductively. "I don't want my boyfriend to be a reject. You wouldn't want that either, would you?" Sneakily, her small hand crept downwards, aiming for my nether regions. _Oh shit. This isn't right, you getting a boner in the library! I mean, anyone could see us! But maybe one little 'job' wouldn't hurt….I've certainly been needing it ever since…ugh. Great. _Jenna giggled naughtily. My eyes, which started off closed, now opened and looked down cautiously. To my horror, my hard-on was worse off than I thought. _It looks like a freaking' boulder! But that might not be such a bad thing…it shows off my manliness. Oh god I know I'm such a wuss. If only I didn't look at Jenna at the car wash. Then I'd still be with Clare and I wouldn't have to worry about…all this!_

My mind swirled with all the possibilities of just what could happen. None of those scenarios helped me regain my lost dignity. Jenna's stilettos were seriously piercing my leg. I shot her an annoyed glance and she backed off nonchalantly. I just couldn't take this anymore.

"Got to go! See ya!" I mumbled before I headed for the cafeteria looking for something (hopefully a rope) to kill myself.


	3. Chapter 2: Manic In The Cafeteria

**A/N: Oh my god, I am so sorry to all my readers for just how long it took for me to write this shit! I can't believe this hasn't been updated since the summer. Again, I'm really sorry. It's just...school's kicking my ass right now and I'm struggling to keep up even though I made it onto the honour roll w/ distinction last year...haha, I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it this time, though. So I have to work really hard to maintain my average and whatnot, so my story may not always be my first priority. In fact, the chances that this story will ever be my first priority are probably null. But I just want you guys reading this out there to know that I love my readers, and I'm trying my hardest to satisfy all you EClare monsters, lmao. :P **

**Now let's get back to the chapter, shall we? I hope you enjoy. And REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! **

**That is all. :D**

Chapter Two: Manic in the Cafeteria

Date: Thursday, September 9th, 2010

Location: The Caf

Time: 12:25 PM

"You sure about this?" I took one look and decided that there was no way that I would eat there for lunch. I wasn't sure about Alli but I didn't mind if I ate by myself in the Zen Garden. There'd (hopefully) be no food stains, no mayhem, and lastly, no KC and Jenna. I almost had them out of my mind, and as a result, my summer flew by rather eventfully. Alli was right. Girls _did _have more fun.

"I could eat somewhere else. I don't know about you, though," I glanced at her and she rolled her eyes back.

"Clare, come on! You've got to make this _your_ year, and what better way to do that then make a great impression? If you eat by yourself on the first day, you're basically setting yourself up for failure." I thought about it for a second. It was true; how wherever you sat on the first day of school defined who you were as a person. Personally, I didn't want to be known as a loser just because I was perfectly content with a little isolation.

After a brief moment of hesitance, I gazed into the clear windows and marveled at how many students there seemed to be. Alli tugged impatiently on my arm and I was pulled headfirst into the suddenly daunting building. Thus, I headed into the cafeteria with my arm linked with Alli's and my heart worn on my sleeve. I could only hope no one would be there to shatter it. _Too late. KC already got to you. _With annoyance, I shook away my ever so optimistic thoughts and plastered a partially fake smile on my face. I knew Alli couldn't stand it when I was being too self-conscious so in a way, I was doing this as a favor.

**20 minutes later**

After what seemed like forever passed and my lunchmates made a big show out of discussing when the new robot model was coming out, I glanced at the clock and noticed there were only fifteen more minutes until English. Honestly, I didn't mind the subject. Ever since that traumatizing day when Holly J printed out my story and read it to Declan (my crush at the time), I knew that English was the least of my worries. Hell, Holly J, aka the Queen B/Student Council President _complimented me_ on that story! I never thought I'd live to see the day when Holly J would act nice towards me. She's obviously known for her spitfire backlashes that could completely deflate a boy's ego. And his crotch area.

"Oh my gosh, they're really pushing it." Alli remarked, apparently disgusted. Unfortunately, I knew all too well as to whom she was referring to. Slowly, hesitantly, my head turned the other way. My heart was beating so fast you would have presumed I had just run a marathon. Pity the real reason was because I was a self-deprecating, pathetic mess who wanted to get KC back, but didn't know how. Or didn't possess the right attributes to even catch his eye. At first glance, the west side of the cafeteria held nothing that caught my interest. Until I heard a certain pretentious giggle that all but raised goosebumps on my arms. That giggle—it belonged to the same person who ruined our relationship…otherwise known as "Jenna". I absolutely refused to acknowledge her as a human—no, instead I classified her as "it". My eyes frantically searched around for the owner of that unbearably squeaky voice, and found her (guess what?) sitting with KC and the rest of the basketball team near the far end. It almost seemed as if they were actually…having fun. _Was I really that boring? _As if by instinct, my arm tightened around Alli's.

"Whoa, could you tone it down? My arm's strong enough to get tired easily, but it definitely doesn't deserve your weird massage treatment." Alli raised an eyebrow and disentangled her arm from mine, keeping it at a considerable distance. _Ever the diva. _I sighed and tilted my head towards the happy couple to explain. Her features instantly softened.

"I know. He obviously hasn't learned anything. I can't even begin to imagine what they did over the summer!" I froze. Oh no. What if they…_slept together_? Was that why he broke up with me? Because I wouldn't put out? If he did, then I'm perfectly fine with being single. I only wished I was the one who ended things, so I wouldn't have to be the victim of love and needlessly pine after what used to be mine. I guess I was making progress; whenever thoughts about KC swam to the surface I made sure to get my iPod ready. For my spirit's sake, I deleted any and all songs that reminded me of KC (Alli's suggestion). For the most part, it turned out helpful. That is, except the part where Alli bought some stupid power ballads online and downloaded them onto my iPod when I wasn't looking. As if a couple of girl power songs could actually motivate me to forget about everything.

I thought about going up to KC and showing him who was boss, I really did. But my courage dwindled down to a nub when I spotted another girl walk up to him. My jaw dropped at how gorgeous she was. She had dark hair and exotic features; all of this could only mean another confidant, backstabbing Jenna. I had never seen her around before. She had to be new. Alli glanced at her nonchalantly, clearly not impressed. And she shouldn't be; her beauty was unrivaled as the Exotic Temptress all the guys wanted. There were literally line-ups consisting of boys trying to ask for her number.

"Don't tell me she's going to take KC away. Just how many boyfriend stealers are there?"

"How should I know? Besides, we don't know if she's another Jenna, per se." I bet Alli could detect the hope in my voice. To put it mildly, I wanted to see Jenna get the same treatment I did from KC when a hotter girl came along. It was only fair to see her get a taste of her own medicine, right? A part of me didn't know how to react. Memories of my last and first relationship raced through my mind, and I blinked several times desperately, like I was watching a film and my eyes were the controls. The pictures stopped and disappeared, and I took that time to get myself together. It was the only thing that kept me from falling apart. _Forget Jenna. Forget KC. Now it's time to focus on you. _I told myself silently. Those words may have been cheesy, but they ignited a flame deep inside of me and I knew somehow, somewhere, that I agreed.

"You know what? Let's just look for Dave and the others. We'll just sit with them at lunch, no biggie." Alli pursed her lips disapprovingly. I stared back in confusion. I thought she had a thing for Dave. A few months ago I could have sworn Dave helped her get over Johnny. Well either way it was a good thing that greaseball graduated. I have no idea how, when he hangs out with that giant friend of his who fails at analyzing "1984". Pigs most certainly did _not _start the Russian Revolution! How did he even pass Grade 9? It was a good thing Alli was keeping me grounded before I could go off tangent.

"Let's just…sit with the cheerleaders, shall we?" Alli chirped uneasily.

"What? Are you kidding? Why would you want to do that?" I asked quizzically. Alli never really acted like we were losers before. Back when we were freshmen, we all got along just fine. Alli sighed, her tiny shoulders heaving along, defeated.

"Because I don't fit in, Clare! I mean, I have you and everything, but I want to know that I have a lunch table, one that I can feel good sitting at, and…and talk with all the popular girls without worrying about what people are saying behind my back!" Everything about her just screamed 'longing to be popular'. It stung, knowing I wasn't good enough. My mind snapped back from autopilot once her words came back to me. I caught the drift. And boy, was I sure pissed.

"Alli, you don't need to worry about what people are gossiping about unless you give them a reason to! You're perfectly fine, and you're better than those cheerleaders," I started. Alli's eyes widened when she realized I was about to go off on another lecture the old Clare was famous for. She grabbed my shoulders while I was in mid-speech.

"No! Don't do this, Clare! I thought you of all people would understand! You're not exactly…you know, popular." I raised an eyebrow as she looked at me nervously out of the corner of her eye.

"And?" I challenged. We shared an awkward pause together before I decided to let loose. "Just because I'm unpopular doesn't mean I don't want it to stay that way. Not every girl needs to be popular just to be happy, you know." Alli, being the ever so melodramatic diva that she was, didn't take it as well as I hoped. A frown formed itself onto her lips, and her nose wrinkled as if I stank. Which, by the way, was totally untrue.

"Well, excuse me if I want to have a good social life and actually have _connections_!" She started defensively. Oh God…when she got defensive, I got defensive. This wasn't going to end well…

"Sorry if I'm proud of my social status," I shot back, equally offended. Alli scoffed, crossing her arms. We clearly didn't see eye-to-eye when it came to popularity and the high school hierarchy. Did that mean our year-long friendship was already at risk? If so, I didn't want that to happen. Not now, not ever.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." I sighed, defeated. I picked up the lunch tray I left on the counter next to me and shifted it to a steady position in my arms. Alli scoffed and she unconsciously pulled me closer as we headed for Dave's table, aka the oh-so-aptly titled Rejects' Table. I smiled in satisfaction. As we walked closer and closer to our usual table with the guys, more notably Dave, I could hear faint calls of "Loser table" and other stupid insults directed at them. Although it was agreeable that Wesley and Connor would be video game nerds for life, I never considered Dave a reject. As crazed for popularity he once was, and still is, he always knew how to put a smile on anybody's face. Which is why I always thought he'd go well with Alli. Face it, the girl needed some humour to stop moping about unimportant, materialistic things only a cheerleader could get out of high school. No matter how many times I gave Dave a shoutout, Alli simply looked away and started babbling about Drew, the newest jock and no doubt, a Ladies' Man who spent his free time impressing all the girls with his biceps. Except me, that is. I don't know why, but I was never appealed to his looks. Too preppy, I guess.

So, with a little enthusiastic nudge from me, the sitting plan was finally resolved and Alli sat down, albeit reluctantly, next to me while I was facing Dave. Thank god I wasn't looking at Wesley. That whole incident last year was a total misunderstanding brought on by my raging hormone-induced crush on Declan. There was no need to further traumatize myself by sitting in front of someone who might still show signs of liking me, for whatever reason. After KC, I just…wasn't ready for any kind of interaction with boys that were even remotely related to interests of a romantic nature.

"So…Clare, any news?" Dave asked me, his voice filled with eager curiosity. Well, that definitely put me off.

"I was kind of hoping for a peaceful lunch," I voiced my thoughts aloud as I hesitantly bit off a piece of my turkey sandwich.

"Dave, what the hell are you talking about?" Alli glared at him sternly, chewing on a lettuce leaf. I rolled my eyes. If only she knew what our adept conversation really meant. She was just so _clueless_ sometimes. And that's saying something because I knew all about her Teen Vogue subscription she had to keep secret from her parents, and that meant she was up to date with all of the latest fashion trends, as well how to do what with boys.

"It's nothing, Alli. Dave, I'll keep you updated later. Deal?" I stuffed my face with some more turkey on bread while waiting for his response. Dave sighed and looked off to the side.

"Sure." He hung his head and tilted his hat down, his previous smile now faded into a solemn line. A very un-Dave-like move, if I must say. I could only watch passively as my friend fell head over heels for someone too oblivious to know and getting nothing in return for it. I gave a quick glance at Alli to make sure she wasn't focusing on us before I leaned over and whispered a quick message, which I hoped to be comforting. It looked like it didn't help much. Dave was still slumped over. The only sign that showed he at least acknowledged my presence was made with a slight tip of the head. Poor guy. He knew she didn't like him the way he wanted her to. Of course, Alli never said this to my face, but I didn't need her words to confirm if it was true. With all of her babble about Drew, one wouldn't have to assume she liked another guy. Especially not one like Dave when Alli's dreaming about Drew, a completely different person with completely different capabilities when it came to girls.

"Hey, wiener! Heard about your campaign for Student Council Pres." An unfamiliar, masculine voice ripped through the thick silence. I stiffened as I felt a cold presence stand behind my back. I could just make out what looked like a grey hoodie and a weird spade necklace from the corner of my eye. Well, whoever this guy was, he could sure accessorize.

Dave arched his back, stretching before straightening up at the sight of the other boy. I checked beside me to see if Alli noticed, but to my disappointment, she didn't seem to acknowledge Dave's situation. Instead, she kept her attention on her salad.

"Yeah, and?" Dave questioned. I heard a snort and this time, a female voice rang out. "Is that all you've got to say? I'm sure you wouldn't mind being crowned the Biggest Loser of Degrassi." The girl walked closer and stopped once she reached the edge of the table, aka, next to me. I immediately recognized her as the new girl Alli and I considered "Jenna 2.0". But it was blatantly clear she was different. She seemed much more intimidating up close and personal. Whereas Jenna just looked innocent on the outside with her bleach blonde hair and her big globe-like eyes, this girl was just plain _fierce. _Her face, although pretty and exotic, was etched into a permanent scowl and the most striking feature about her was the blood-red nail polish her fingers sported. From a distance, you might say they looked like…_claws._ Either way it was obvious that this girl was bad. This girl was dangerous. She'd be just that type of girl a guy like KC would have affiliated with in his past life.

"What are _you_ looking at, lesbo?" She snapped, her eyes gleaming with pure revulsion. My eyes widened at the offensive label. Who was she to judge someone who noticed her? And I was most certainly _not_ a lesbian. Attempting to avoid any potential drama, I followed Alli's example and kept my eyes on my plate. "Nothing, just wondering why you'd call my friend that." I jumped when a neon-green flyer out of nowhere slammed forcefully on the table. Its bolded words stood out to me amongst the italicized numbers. I could hear Alli release a breath beside me.

"What is this, a list?" My attention switched from the flyer to the new girl. Always seeking a chance to be informed of Degrassi's latest gossip, Dave snatched the coloured paper and scanned its contents. After a brief moment, he shook his head, crumpled it up with a newfound ferocity, and shot it into the nearest garbage can. The girl simply smirked.

"You can probably guess what it is." She crossed her arms and shifted her weight to the other leg, mastering a kind of dancer's pose that suited her. With a swift grunt, Dave took his backpack and lunch tray and headed to the Zen Garden. I could hear the boy behind me cough out a quiet 'loser'. _Coughing out insults? How elementary. _"Just so you know, you might want to ask that friend of yours about it." With an infuriatingly subtle trace of a smile, she and her sniveling cohort left our cafeteria table as I turned to my suspect best friend.

"Well? Did you have anything to do with that abomination you call a list?" I questioned. Alli refused to look at me and instead concentrated on fiddling with her plastic fork. I had had enough of her evasiveness. I grabbed her food impatiently and tugged on her arm. It was a genius move—everyone who knew Alli acknowledged the fact that she didn't like to be touched unless it was by a boy.

"Jeez, cool it with the physical contact already!" She exclaimed furiously. Wesley from the far end of the table gave a slight wheeze and I shot him a warning glance. Then I proceeded to give Alli my full, undivided attention. It was confrontation time. But before we could officially get into it, I was reminded—albeit cruelly—that no place was ever private, and especially not the cafeteria.

The very two people I never wanted to see again walked past my lunch table, the female half sneering at me while I gazed on in what she must have presumed to be defeat, and the male counterpart looking away awkwardly, knowing that what he was facing was just one millisecond away from becoming Degrassi's most wild catfight starring two of the most rabid girls ever found on the planet. Well, Jenna most definitely could be classified as such. The way she pursued boys in such a relentless and animalistic fashion basically defined who she was, especially since she didn't show me any signs of being anything but fake during our pathetically phony friendship, now that I've witnessed her true nature and realized that she was only using me and our 'friendship' for her own ulterior motives.

I never thought I would crack under any pressure I was given at any time or stage in my life. After all, I managed attending fellowship meetings from my church, homework, studying for various tests, taking care of my growing archive of fanfiction, and lastly, balancing my extracurricular activities, which included debate club, Science Labs, and, not to mention, yearbook. If you knew my sister Darcy as well as I did when she was still living at my house, you'd probably say I'm currently following in her footsteps for most of the time she spent at Degrassi. Well, minus the roofie-induced rape, mindless sex with Peter, and suicide attempt post-rape.

As for being a cheerleader, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing the sparkly uniform Hannah Montana would be proud to wear, much less waving pom poms around. Personally, I never counted cheerleading as a sport. Unless you could compare jumping around with your pom poms in the air as physically demanding as, say, running uphill continuously, as fast as you can. Not to mention that boys wouldn't be drooling after profusely sweating girls whose main focus is to make that basket, or avoid tripping on small rocks that could ruin their time. At least, not to the same extent that some may find cheerleaders attractive. Please. You don't have to be fit to be a cheerleader. You just have to be thin and know how to twirl a few bundles of straw around while simultaneously flaunting what's beneath your (short, rather frilly in an exploitive way) skirt and making all the (male or female) waistbands drop. The only thing more pathetic than _being_ a cheerleader is _wanting_ to be a cheerleader. Which was why I was so concerned about Alli and what could happen to our slowly deteriorating friendship.

"Ugh, those two won't be winning Homecoming any time soon. At least, they'd better not. Since when did one girl dripping for an oblivious guy count as King and Queen material?" My anger at Alli dissipated as she spoke those words. I inwardly chuckled at the irony of it all. It didn't seem like she knew she was describing her own infatuation with Drew. It was almost comical, especially if one noticed her determinedly serious expression. Needless to say, I was a bit relieved knowing that although we may have different outlooks on high school life, we would always support each other in whatever curveball life throws us. Or at least I hoped so.


End file.
